Spyderco Stretch and Para-Military

[Gryffin]

[cross-posted from KnifeForums, hope no one minds... I put a lot of work into this, wanted to post it here too!]

The Stretch is one of Spyderco's newest mid-sized knives, released towards the end of last year; the Para-Military came out earlier the same year. Both are roughly the same size. Since I happened to have passarounds for both that overlapped by a few days, it seemed like a good idea to compare the two.

Let's start with the new kid on the block...

Spyderco Stretch

Stats:
Open Length: 7.8"
Closed Length: 4.3"
Blade Length (Cutting Edge): 3.1"
Blade Thickness: 0.13" (3mm)
Blade Steel: VG-10
Weight: 4.5 oz.

Let me start by saying that I've long been a fan of Spyderco's stainless-framed knives; I've got a steel Police, CoPilot, Dragonfly, Harpy, Delica and Cricket, as well as their Chinese-made Cara Cara. The FRN ones are tough and amazingly light, but there's a lot to be said for the solid heft of the steel ones, too. But they do have two major downsides: they're heavy, and slippery.

Spyderco's solution to this is simple: hog out the steel scales, and inlay 'em with textured kraton. Weight is reduced, and your fingers have something to grip.

The Stretch isn't their first model to take this approach; 1991's Pro-Grip holds that distinction, and was followed by the smaller Spur in 1995. The Stretch is a good deal bigger than either of those, though.

So, how big is it?

Folded, it's noticeably bigger than the Delica (see photo above), and a tad larger than the Calypso Jr. Overall profile folded is just about the same as the Benchmade Griptilian 550, although the Stretch is about half as thick; the same thickness as my Police, if you ignore the kraton inserts that protrude just a hair from the scales. The blade is the same thickness as the Police and Griptilian, too. Open, the overall length is about the same as the Para-Military; although the Stretch has more blade and less grip.

How about ergonomics?

Comparing the Stretch to the older SS Spydies like the Delica and Police is to appreciate how far Spyderco's ergonomic design has come. The pronounced coil, finger swell and pinky hook make the Stretch nestle into your hand like you were born with it there. The back of the Spyder Hole "hump" is grooved, as is the choil, making for a secure grip when choking up on the blade.

Speaking of the blade...

Despite usages by several people before me, the blade was sharp enough to shave hair off my arm. I had a long day at work, so I blew off some steam and gave the Stretch a little workout by dragging out some boxes from the garage and cutting them up for recycling. I wish the blade on this one wasn't partially serrated; when I choked up and used just the plain-edged portion of the fully-flat-ground blade, it went through cardboard like it was butter. The serrations saw well, but weren't much help with corrugated, except for the first serration; there's a good-sized step up to the main edge, leaving a sort of "hook" that worked like gangbusters on thinner cardboard.

This testing also highlighted the other problem with SS Spydies: the thin grip isn't good for extended cutting. Feels great at first, but the thin back starts to dig in to your hand pretty soon. Even with sweaty hands, though, the kraton inserts keep it easy to hang on to.

Yeah, it's thin. But this isn't really a hard-use knife. The blade isn't really made for abuse, either; the "hump" towards the tip helps add some strength near the tip, but the flat grind means it's still pretty thin out there.

But that extremely thin grip means it's a joy to pocket. I carried it all day, and literally forgot it was there when I wasn't using it. The kraton inserts didn't seem to hang up on my pants on either the way in or out of my pocket, which actually surprised me. The clip hangs the Stretch down low in the pocket, in either tip-up or tip-down position, while the kraton gives your thumb good purchase for a secure draw.

The "Spydie Hole" is very large for a knife of this size, so it's easy to open. The lock pops into place with a satisfyingly solid "clack". I did a few obligatory spine-whacks (just against the heel of my hand, nothing harder!), which the Stretch shrugged off without incident. I've handled enough Spydercos to know that their locks are safe and secure.

One problem, though: this example, at least, had a fair amount of horizontal blade play. This is a nearly new knife, and the previous passarounders have noted the play as well; perhaps we got a "Monday morning" Spyderco? It's not enough play to be worrisome, or to interfere with normal usage, but for a knife in this price range, it's a tad disappointing.

Of course, this wouldn't be an issue, if the Stretch had a pivot screw; but, like all of Spyderco's steel-slab knives, the pivot isn't adjustable. Likewise, the scales, back spacer and lock are all permanently pinned together, which complicates cleaning in harsh environments (read: salt water, or sand boxes).

So, what's the bottom line?

I like it. A lot. If I find a good deal on a plain-edge model, I'll probably grab it.

Next up... the Para-Military. (See next post.)

 

[Gryffin]

Spyderco Para-Military

Stats:
Open Length: 7.9"
Closed Length: 4.8"
Blade Length (Cutting Edge): 2.9"
Blade Thickness: 0.16" (4mm)
Blade Steel: CPM-S30V
Weight: 3.75 oz.

The Military was one of Spyderco's first "hard use" knives. Big, beefy blade, and tough G-10 scales instead of lightweight FRN. But it was a bit big for "suburban EDC" in this day and age, so they scaled it down to make the Para-Military. Seems to fit in with Spyderco's recent strategy of highly-ergonomic, smaller, sheeple-friendly knives that work like bigger knives.

I got this from jhillas, complete with a custom leather sheath of his; very nice touch!

First impression: Definitely intended more as a working knife than the Stretch. The thick, rough-textured G-10 scales are tough and grippy. Texture of the G-10 is rougher than, say, my Benchmade 710; edges are slightly rounded, but still a bit square. The blade is noticeably thicker, too, but also fully flat ground; the rear of the "hump" is serrated, like the Stretch as well. The Para comes with Spyderco's new Compression Lock, as opposed to the lockback Stretch. Compared to the Stretch, the handle is much thicker, but that extra bearing surface makes for more comfort in extended use.

As would be expected of a flat-ground Spyderco, cutting performance was superb. Despite the increased blade thickness vs. the Stretch, the Para carved through cardboard with aplomb. The fatter handle was oh so much comfortable, on top at least; the edges on the finger side could stand to be rounded off a bit, IMHO. The pronounced choil and "pinky hook" made for a very secure grip.

Pocket carry was unremarkable. While thicker, it's also lighter than the Stretch; overall carry comfort was about equal, all things considered. The clip position leaves a lot of handle showing above the pocket, though; and, as already stated, you don't have any options for clip position. Good thing I'm a rightie...

I already have a few Spyderco's with the Compression Lock, but you may not be familiar with it; it's sort of an inverted liner lock, which locks the blade tang from the top, rather than the bottom. But, rather than take the stress of the blade along the length of a relatively thin liner, the Compression Lock braces the tang against the stop pin with a short piece of liner that's much less likely to buckle or slip. It's a nifty bit of engineering, and a damn strong lock. Sal Glesser has stated that in his tests, the stop pin will tear out, or the tang actually break, before the lock fails. That, my friends, is sturdy!

From a safety standpoint, though, I don't know if it's a huge improvement over the liner lock. Seems to me it would be about as easy to push the lock out of engagement, if a bit of flesh or glove got pressed against the lock while twisting. Still, it's as strong as the Benchmade Axis Lock, and cheaper to build.

All in all, it was a good, solid, hardworking knife. A few things bugged me, though...

First of all, there doesn't seem to be enough blade for the handle. Folded, the blade seems to take up the whole handle, but because the pivot is set well back from the front of the grip, the blade has a very long tang that's concealed within the grip. You can see this when it's folded.

Oddly enough, when gripped, the Para actually has about as much "reach" as the Stretch, despite the difference in blade length, with the forefinger positioned in the choil. On the Para, the choil is in the handle, whereas on the Stretch, it's on the blade. End result is surprisingly similar, though.

The problem, though, is that on the Para, you pretty much *must* hold it this way. With the forefinger in the choil, there's barely enough room for the remaining three fingers. You can grip it further back, but the severe forward rake on the pinky hook leaves nowhere for that last finger. The Stretch doesn't have this problem; it seems to have been designed to be gripped either way comfortably.

One other niggle: the top rear of the blade tang is a fairly sharp corner on the Para, and it's exposed when folded. A few things caught on it while I was carrying the Para, The Stretch, as you can see in the photos above, offers nothing but smooth lines and curves when folded.

Don't get me wrong: none of these issued are show-stoppers.

So, what's the bottom line?

It's a damn good knife. Not a fancy knife, but a damn fine worker. I'd have no reservation about relying on it under the harshest of situations.

Conclusion

So... how do they compare?

The Stretch is heavier, but thinner, and carried easier in a pocket; carries lower, especially in tip-down configuration, but the shiny silver clip is a bit more obvious. Clip offers much more flexibility in carry than the Para, too. The handle shape is better suited to different grips than the Para-Military, although extended hard use gets uncomfortable fast. In sweaty hands, the kraton inserts felt secure, but not as secure as the Para's G-10. The combination of sleek steel and textured kraton looked more attractive to me, although tastes may vary. Non-adjustable pivot, and no option to take apart for cleaning.

The Para-Military feels rougher, less refined, but solid as a rock; not as fancy looking, but more practical than the Stretch. Despite high carry in a pocket, dull G-10 is less likely to draw unwanted attention. Righthand-only, tip-down-only clip is a bit limiting, especially for southpaws. Broader grip is better suited for extended hard use, but the relatively sharp corners might be a problem. Pinky hook design doesn't allow as much grip flexibility. Pivot screw and open build construction make field maintenance much easier.

Which one should you choose? For normal civilian EDC, the Stretch is a fine, good-looking knife that will do whatever you need. For more strenuous usage, such as LE or military or other "working" purposes, the Para-Military is a bit more businesslike and sturdy. But you really couldn't go wrong with either one.

 

[JDBLADE]

Good reviews. I haven't reviewed the Stretch but have done the PM which is my favourite carrying folder.

You said:

"the top rear of the blade tang is a fairly sharp corner on the Para, and it's exposed when folded. A few things caught on it while I was carrying the Para,"

I found this to be a common complaint amongst ELU's over here but personally it has not caused me a problem. With regards to the clip I like my clips to be tip up on the left hand (finger side) of the handle. I understand Sal and Co are considering a 4 way positioning a la the Manix. This should resolve some problems although I think Cliff would prefer a better clip overall.

 

[Bruceter]

I think that Spyderco has fixed the problem of the sharp square corner of the blade tang. I was at the factory outlet the other day, and the current Para's had more of a radius on that corner than my early one. The edges of the G-10 handles also were a little more rounded. Must be that CQI in action.
I have carried mine on a regular basis for the last 4-5 months. The only things that I don't like are the squarish corners and that it's not tip up.
I took some 600 grit wet/dry paper to the handles last night, and about 10 min. work took care of the sharp corners on the G-10. Don't know if I have the guts to take it apart and convert it to tip up or not.

Bruceter

 

[Cliff Stamp]

From a safety standpoint, though, I don't know if it's a huge improvement over the liner lock. Seems to me it would be about as easy to push the lock out of engagement, if a bit of flesh or glove got pressed against the lock while twisting.

It is possible to move the lock, but the grip that is required to do so is fairly odd, grip it blade up with the pinky against the lock. This is difficult but do-able on the Gunting trainers, but near impossible on the Para-Military because of the deeper lock release cutout and thinner handle. Of course the thicker and fleshier the fingers the more likely the release. Test it extensively and if it is a problem just grind down the lock release.

The biggest advantage isn't strength, but torque security. I have torqued on compression locks far harder than liner/integrals with no problems. I would bet the skin on my hand would tear before the lock would release.

First of all, there doesn't seem to be enough blade for the handle. Folded, the blade seems to take up the whole handle, but because the pivot is set well back from the front of the grip, the blade has a very long tang that's concealed within the grip. You can see this when it's folded.

This *radically* increases the stability of the pivot under prying and torques.

With the forefinger in the choil, there's barely enough room for the remaining three fingers. You can grip it further back, but the severe forward rake on the pinky hook leaves nowhere for that last finger.

Yes, you would need a fairly small hand to not use the forward index finger groove and still have a comfortable fit.

Nice review.

-Cliff